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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fork — in a road
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. content — the amount
  22. current — happening now
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com